Mordesh

When several members of Blizzard left the company to form Carbine Studios in 2005, it should have raised eyebrows. The staff was part of the core development team that made the king of mass multiplayer online games. It looked as though something big was in the works, and in 2011, the developer announced WildStar.

It’s a sci-fi MMO that shows off a similar art style to Blizzard’s flagship title. That is to say it’s cartoonish but attractive with distinct cast of colorful characters. But the similarities are more than skin deep; the game boasts the same level of polish and addictive gameplay that is a hallmark of the Irvine-based company. The quality is there but WildStar tries to differentiate itself in other areas.

“We wanted WildStar to appeal to every demographic,” said Stephan Frost, design producer. “We made dungeons that are frenetic. The telegraphs (system) add to combat.”